Solo device.



BEST AVAILABLE COP P. B. KLUGH.

SOLO DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23. 1910.

WWI/6U 6%,

P. B. KLUGH.

SOLO DEVICE.

APPLICATION nuzo AUG.23,19I0.

1,203,359. Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- BEST AVMLABLE COP Oa il/flz lyh/ BEST AVAILABLE COF PAUL BROWN KLUGH, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CABLE COMPANY, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SOLO DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0013.31, 1916.

Application filed August 23, 1910; Serial No. 578,577.

T01! whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, laon Buowx KLUcu, a citizen of the United States, residingat. Chicago. in the county'of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement, in Solo" Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, ref/"fence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to automatic musical instruments and especially to a type of instrument operating in connection with a traveling perforated music sheet or record, such as. a player piano or piano player.

T heinvention contemplates securing certain advantageous results in connection with constructions likely to be found in instruments of this general class. v

The invention contemplates the arrangement of such an instrument or parts of its mechanism or construction in such a way as to permit more than one use of pneumatic mechanism as may be desired without interfering with the efficiency of the instrument or mechanism, or injuring or causing disadvantageous resultsin connection with the same.'.

I have shown the invention as applied more particularly to a type of player piano which I have devised for obtaining solo effects, the instrument being conveniently arrangedso that such solo effects. are secured automatically through pneumatic mechanism cooperating ivith'the tracker board and traveling Imusic sheet or record. It will be undersiood, however, that the invention is capa ole of being used in' connection with other types of instruments, and other mechanisms apd constructions.

The particular type of instrument in connection with whichI show my invention is' made the subject matter of'an application .for patent filed by me April 8, 1910, Serial No. 554,140, solo device for player pianos and the like.

The invention is shown applied to the pneumatic mechanism by which the solo effects are secured. By the invention applied in this way the instrument can be controlled to permit playing either by hand in the usual way, or automatically by the music roll, without injuring or interfering ,with said pneumatic mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of a player piano havnisur'of my aforesaid application for patent, said player piano also containing my present invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the music roll showing a portion of the tracker hoard behind it; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of aportion of the mechanism of the instrument shown ,in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view partly in elevation and-partly in section of a portion of said instrument.

The player piano shown in tlie drawings to illustrate the invention is, as stated hereinbefore, set forth so far as general features are concerned in an application of mine already on file in the Patent Office, Serial No. 554,140. Therefore the general features of construction of this instrument will not require extended description.

Briefly considered the instrument has a tracker board 1. over which is advanced a music sheet 2, by some suitable or preferred type of mechanism not. shown, .the music being drawn from the usual music spool 3, and wound upon a take-up roll 4. The instrument being preferably of the solo type previously referred to by me, the tracker board 1, has two'sets of apertures 5, 5 and (3. 6, whereof the apertures 5, 5 are preferably the usual type of round aperture, and the apertures 6, Gelohgated apertures at one side of the apertures 5, 5. The music sheet 2, has two types of perforations 7, 7 and 8, 8, 7, 7 being the usual narrow perforations adapted to register with and open only the apertures 5, 5, and the perforations 8, 8 being wider than the perforaing solo mechanism similar to the mechations 7, 7 and each adapted to open both 7 an aperture 5 and its associated Side aper- "ture 6.

The apertures 5, 5 are connected by pneumatic tubes 9, with pneumatic mechanism 10, by which the piano action 11 is operated. The apertures 6, 6 are connected by tubes '12 with supplementary pneumatic mecha. nism 14, peculiar to this type of solo insired notes lengthening the. hammer stroke so that the fp'low will be longer and the sounding of the note relatively strong or stronger The mechanism shown 'operates in this way as follows; The music sheet in traveling across the tracker causes theoperation' of the piano action in the usual way by the perforations 7', 7, and the tracker board openings 5, 5 and the pneumaticmechanism 10. The wide openings 3, 8, however, open also the tracker apertures 6, 6,. thereby preliminarily actuating ;the.

corresponding pneumatic mechanism -14 7 so as to lengthen the corresponding hammer strokesand thereby produce accented. or

solo notes.

In the specific arrangement shown th I pneumatic mechanism 14 comprises collapsible pneumatics, which are normally in their expanded positions as shown especially in Figs. 1, 3 and 4; The operation" of this mechanism by the wide openings 8' causes the collapse'ofthe corresponding pneumatics and thereby actuat'es sliding rods 16, cooperating with said pneumatics, so as to withdraw said rods and allow the hammers 15 .to be retracted or moved for-ward to a long stroke position before being actuated by the usual operating mechanism' Referring more specifically to construction, the sliding rods 16 are conveniently mounted for sliding movement in a long rod or bar' 17, serving as a support and guide for said rods,- and itself being supported upon brackets 18 at forwardly. i w

herein for accmnplishing that purpose is the ends of the instrument.

The forward ends of the rods 16 are provided with buttons Idimmediately in front of theloose or swinging leaves of the various pneumatics, so that the. actuation or collapse of said Pneumatics will move or shift said rods 16 Under various circumstances it becomes highly desirable to place the piano, action or mechanism in such condition that it can 'beplayed manually or in other ways with the 'piano action in its usual conditionor with, the hammers retracted to their forward or long stroke position. In such case there is objection to collapsing the pneumatic xiiechanism 11 .and holding the same col lapsed for any extended period of time to hold the hammers 15- retracted, because of.

. that the hammers ofthe piano action maybe retracted to their long'stroke positions without collapsing the coiiperatmg pneumatic mechanism 14. The arrangement I show one simple and advantageous in form' of arraugcuuait, although of course others would be ru'iployed without.departing from -the invention. The arrangement shown involvcs the provision of springs 20, 20, con venientlylocated to cooperate with the slid ing rods 16, which latter are conveniently provided with buttons 22 in the rear of said springs, so that the latter may normally act upon the buttons 22 and hold'the rods 16, 16 rearwardly' projected and tl16-llaH1In8lSf 15;

in short stroke positions, 'spri'ngs-20i oper aftertheir retraction by the neu aticsf'w ating v to return-the rods :16, as regiiired, The rods 16 can be shifted in a] orwa d'direction, or in other words retracted to long stroke position, independently of the pneumati'c mechanism 14, the rods 16 having loose or sliding connections with the loose so leaves of said pneumatic mechanism, and as an arrangement for so shifting, the rods 16,

- I show a series of fingers or plates 21, 21,

arranged in the-rear of the buttons 22 and supported and projected downwardly from a rocking bar 23, which is pivoted at its end" to brackets 24 at the ends of the .instruh ent. Thus a rocking movement of the bar (23 will cause the fingers 21 to. retract all of the sliding rods '16, and thus allow'the hammers 15 to assume their long stroke' positions, and at the same time it will -be seen that thisresult is accom- -plished without interfering atrall with thepneumatic mechanism, the, sliding rods 1695 having loose connections with the samea The rocking or oscillating bar 23 serves as'a convenient support for the springs 20, pre viously referred to, and said bar is operated by some suitable form of mechanism, such for example, as an arm 25, to which is pivotally connected a rod 26, extending down be;'

low the key bed and arranged for operation by 'a lever 27'and coiiperating mechanism, which is fully described in In. said other application and so need not be described here, it being sufiicient to say that the movement of said lever 27 to onev's'ide will pr duce a: vertical movement ofthe 'rod 26 and thereby cause a swinging movement of the H0 arm 25 downwardly and a;consequent forward movement of the fingers 22 to retract the sliding rods 16. A hammer rest rail=30 is arranged in the rear of the hammers 15.

The tracker board and music sheetherein 1 15 set forth are disclosed and claimed in mycopending application Serial .No. 554,142, filed Aprils, 1910, tracker board and'music sheet.

.understood that thearrangement shown herein can be changed. and modified withoutdeparting from the invention,

\Vhat I claim is: 1.' In a musical instrument in combinatio'n, aseries of strikingha'rnmers, means for 15 sustaining said hammers in short stroke position, pneumatics for acting on said sustaining means, the collapse of said pneu matics serving to withdraw said hammers into long stroke position, and mechanism for withdrawing said means into long stroke position while said pneumatics are inflated.

2. The combination with striking mechanism, of a member supporting said mechanism in short stroke position, a pneumatic having a loose connection with said member, whiclrconnectionnormally holds said ing said member relative to said pneumatic.

4. The combination with striking mechanism, of a collapsible pneumatic, a slide rod for supporting said mechanism in short stroke position, having a slidable connection with said pneumatic and adapted to be shifted by the same in one direction, and means for shifting said rod relatively to'the pneumatic and in the direction in which it wouldbe shifted by the" operation of the pneumatic.

The combination with a collapsible pneumatic, of a rod-having a slidable connection with said pneumatic but provided with a button cooperating with the pneu: matic whereby the latter will shift the rod in one direction, said rod also having a second button, a spring operating upon the second button to shift the rod in opposition to the direction of movement of the pneumatic, afinger also acting upon said second button to shift the rod in opposition to the spring, and ineans t'or operating said finger.

6. The combination -with a collapsible pneumatic, of a slide rod 16 having a loose connection with the loose leaf of the pneumatic and also having a button 1!) adapted to be engaged by said loose leaf, a support for said rod 16, a button 22 on said rod, a rocking bar 23, carrying a spring 20 and a finger 21, both ofwhich cooperate with said button 22 on saidvrod.

7. The combination with a row of collapsible pneuniatics, of a corresponding row of slidable rods 16 having slidable connections with the swinging leaves oi said pneuniatics, said rods having buttons 1!) adapted to engage the swinging leaves of said pneuniatics and also having buttons 22, situated between the ends of the rods and away from the buttons 1!), a bar .17 forming a guide for said rods 16,- a rocking bar 23 carrying springs 20 adapted to act upon one side of BEST AVAILABLE COP a QZandalso carrying fingers 21 act upon the other side of said and mechanism for rocking the the buttons adapted to buttons 22, bar 23.

8. In an automatic piano in combination, a series of striking hammers, means for sustaining said hammers in short stroke position, pneumatics for withdrawing individual hammers into long stroke position, and

mechanism for withdrawing the entire series of hammers into long stroke position hile maintaining said pneumatics in the .ort

stroke position.

9. In an automatic piano in combination, a series of striking hammers, rods sustain ing said hammers in short stroke position. and pneuniatics for withdrawing individual rods to long stroke position, said pneumatics having a lost motion connection with said rods.

10. In an automatic piano in combination, 'a series oi striking members, devices for sustaining the individual members in short stroke position, a second set of individual devices for actuating said sustaining devices, and additional actuating means to actuating said sustaining devices in unison, said indi- 'vidual' actin'iting devices having a lost motion connection with said individual sustain ing devices.

11. In an automatic "piano in combination, a series of strikinghammers, rods for sustaining said hammers in shortstrokeposition having buttons thereon, a pivoted rail, two series of fingers attached to said rail contacting with opposite sides of said buttons, individual pneuinatics for each of said rods to withdraw the same to long stroke position, and means for operating said rail.

12. In a musical instrument in combination, striking devices and actuating means therefor, a fixed rail for determining the long stroke position of said devices, mechanism for supporting said devices in short stroke position, actuating pneiiiiiatics for withdrawing said mechanism into long stroke position having lost motion connections therewith, aiid a pivoted rail for withdrawing said mechanism to long stroke positioirwhile said pneuniatics are in short stroke position.

1?). In a device of the class described in combination, striking devices and actuating means therefor, a fixed rail for determining.

" and springs operating independently of said 1 their original striking mechanism, shiftable 'members for controlling the length of stroke of said striking mechanism normally sustaining said mechanism in short stroke position, pneumatics for operating said shiftable members and having a loose connection therewlth,

pneumatics for returning said members to position after actuation of said 'pneumatics.

3 15. In an automatic piano in combination, a piano action comprising a plurality of units, a series of rods controllin said units as'to long and short stroke position, pneue matics for operating said rods having a loose connection therewith, and means for shifting the entire series of rods to change the position of said units while said pneumatics are inflated.

16. The combination; of striking mechanism, shiftable members for controlling the length of stroke of said striking-mechanism, pneumatics for operating said shiftable -members and having a loose connection therewith; and adjustable, means operatin independently of said pneumaticfs upon sai members.

. 17 The combination with the piano hammers, of a series of-shiftable abutments arranged to control the length of stroke of said hammers, pneumatics individually controlling said abutments, and an adjustable mem-- ber combined with means for engaging said 1,203,859 BEST AVAILABLE cos.

abutments so as to permit said abutments to be collectively shifted to determine the extent of regulation to be exercised by said Pneumatics, said shiftable member having means for flexibly and rigidly engaging said abutments. Y

18. The combination with the piano ham:

mers, of a series of abutments for limiting the length of stroke of said hammers, pneumatics controlling said abutments, and an adjustable member extending crosswise of said ubutments and having a series of fingers adapted to engage said abutments to move -mers, of pneumatic devices combined with mechanism for individually regulating the length of stroke of said hammers, and a swinging element carrying spring means act in upon said mechanlsm. r

n witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe myname this eleventh day of August A. D., 1910.

'PAUL BROWN KLUGH. Witnesses: d i N. D. TOBIN,

J. CLARKE HAGEY. 

